The present invention involves refuse collection vehicles and, more particularly, relates to rear end loaders.
Rear end refuse loaders typically include a rear tailgate containing a rearwardly open hopper for receiving refuse. Refuse is collected by workmen who dump the refuse over a rear edge or sill of the hopper. A packer mechanism is mounted for displacement within the tailgate. A power system displaces the packer mechanism through a loading cycle to compact and load refuse into a storage compartment of the vehicle. Attention is directed to commonly assigned Toppins et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,951, issued Oct. 10, 1972 for a more detailed description of such a rear end loader. The disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein by reference as it set forth at length.
The loading cycle is usually initiated by manual actuation of a handle located at a side of the vehicle. During the loading cycle the packer mechanism passes downwardly across the rear edge of the hopper. This is a critical period from a safety standpoint in that serious injury can be inflicted upon inattentive or careless workmen. For example, in the event that a workman attempts to deposit refuse into the hopper during this critical period, there is a danger that part of his body may become caught between the packer mechanism and the hopper rear edge. Systems have previously been proposed for interrupting a fluid powered refuse loading cycle, but such systems rely upon pressure build-ups in the fluid circuitry and do not assure that interruption will occur before the packer mechanism has traversed the hopper rear edge.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to enhance the safety of rear end refuse loaders.
It is another object of the present invention to interrupt the loading cycl prior to the critical period wherein the packer mechanism passes acros the rear edge of the hopper.
It is yet another object of the invention to prevent continuation of the loading cycle in the absence of subsequent manual activation by a workman.